One seed can start a garden, one candle can light a room, one step can begin a journey, one conversation can start a friendship, one smile from a handmade card can lift one's SPIRIT!

Monday, January 30, 2017

Altenew Beyond Basic Background ~ Day 5

Jumping around with the videos to get through them all.
This technique is called Water bleaching but without bleach.  It is what makes the Distress Inks so much fun and so unique when adding water to the inks.
This is the latest in Altenew's Acadamy Classes.  This was done by Lydia Evans
 My strip on the side was made with Impression Obsession Thin Stripes which was embossed with HA silver embossing powder.  The sentiment was embossed with the same.

stamps:  Altenew Persian Motifs, PTI Keep it Simple: Praying for You, IO thin Stripes
distress Inks:  cracked pistachio, peacock feathers, broken china
thread, perfect pearls blue
I had to add this second picture because I just have NOT been happy with how my pictures are turning out.  The colors have been horrible.  For instance this card I took so many pictures and the silver embossing was coming out pinkish, oh it was awful As you can see from the photo above, even the embossing looks pink.  I had my daughter come over this afternoon with her fancy camera and see what we could do...we even had sun, but that was a bit too much, washed out the colors.  The best was from my own phone and laying on the floor instead of using the photo box that I bought!!  Wouldn't you know!!
So for now, I am going to lay the cards on the floor and see if that helps.  This is actually NOT my floor,  it is a charger that I bought at Michaels thinking it might make a fun thing to put my card on.  But I did take it while I was standing up and it was on the floor!
What do you think??  Better or does it even matter?

Heart Hugs, friends!



Beyond Background Basics ~ Altenew Acadamy Class

Don't you LOVE friends who enable you?
MY BFF told me she signed up for this class, and even though I had received a notice about it, I really hadn't done anything about it, maybe because of the foot surgery, either way once I knew she was taking it, well, I simply had to take it also! And I am so glad I did.
Lydia Evans has 6 wonderful videos showing different ways of using yur stamps to get a cool background.

Stamps & Dies: Altenew Peony Bouquet; PTI Graceful Greetings
inks:  Altenew Summer Afternoon  cubes
Viva Pearl Pen, thread, vellum

Heart Hugs, friends!



Merry Monday # 233 Use FIVE of something!

Debbie has given us a very clever theme for our new Merry Monday Challenge this week!  She wants us to use 5 of something on our card!!  How fun is that??
Here is what I used:
What the Doodle: Ornaments
Holiday Greens
Ombre Sentiments:  Christmas
SOA: Peppermint Stick Background stamp (side of card)
brushos
PTI Luxe Silver Cardstock
DCWV Glitzy Glitter paper

I probably should have used some nice silver thread or string to hang the ornaments because my silver pen isn't showing up too well!

Please join us this week friends!  I look forward to seeing your card in the gallery!
Heart Hugs, friends!



Saturday, January 28, 2017

NBUS Challenge # 9

I had to find a word die I had not used before!  This is from MFT and the stamps are also NBUS from MFT called Flashy Florals!
I also used NBUS inks from Catherine Pooler that are fabulous friends...one time stamping and the colors are bright and vibrant.  They are amazing!
You have only until tomorrow to enter this challenge, then Darnell will have one more week of NBUS challenge with an optional technique to try!
Heart Hugs, friends!



Friday, January 27, 2017

Verve Love from Me Free digi

I have another card made with the LOVE from ME FREE Digi from Verve
Go check it out friends, it is only available until Feb. 15!
I am going to try to use up all the images, or as many as I can!
Hope you all have a great weekend!!
Heart Hugs, friends!



Thursday, January 26, 2017

Verve Free Digi

Hi Friends, did you see the FREE Digi by VERVE?
 
 This is Julee's way of doing a little Act of Kindness to combat so much negativity on social media these days.Thank you Julee for helping us to keep  "LOVE" out there instead of 'hate'. I so agree with you.
I cut up some Doodlebug Design pad from 2015 and put this card together.  I selectively cut out the drink cup and hearts as well as the big sentiment.  I used my copics to match the colors in the paper and added some PPP soft pink sequins!



Heart Hugs, friends!



Wednesday, January 25, 2017

PTI January Blog hop

Hi Friends, I get to play with the January Blog Hop.  I loved the photo inspiration!
Blog Hop Inspiration 
I chose the bottom cookie with the black and white and then I cut out Vintage Linens stamp set for the flowers and leaves and inked them up with some hibiscus burst, raspberry fizz, pure poppy and some green parakeet with a bit of new leaf.
My stripes were made with SSS Wide Stripes Background stamp and my sentiment is from Keep it Simple: Thinking of You.
You can chick it out here: Caputre the Moment January Blog Hop
   Blog-hop-logo
Heart Hugs, friends!



Monday, January 23, 2017

AAA Cards challenge# 82 ~ Winter chill and NBUS challenge #9

When I saw the challenge over at AAA CAS Game # 82 winter chill I knew exactly what card I was going to make.
And because this is a new stamp from my BFF for Christmas I am going to enter this at Darnell's NBUS challenge # 9
Isn't she just the cutest all bundled up for the snow and wind?
This is a Penny Black stamp called "Let's chill", perfect for this AAA challenge, right?

It has been a while since I have been in the studio...I had foot surgery last week. Kind of laid me up for a while and it looks like I still need to take it easy and put my foot up often during the day.  I had a couple of bone spurs and some arthritis in the big toe area almost had to have it fused, I had lost about 40% of my cartilage, if it had been a bit more, he would have fused it which would have made for a much longer rehab time.  He drilled a couple of holes to allow blood to flow in, I sure don't know all the particulars, but apparently this is a way to help the bone heal without the cartilage. I am happy how I only have to wear this special velcro strapped shoe for 4 weeks!!..

Heart Hugs, friends!



Merry Monday # 232 A Photo Inspiration

Deanne has provided us with a wonderful photo to make our card for the Merry Monday Christmas Card Challenge ...look at it and choose what you see and make it your own!
I saw lots of white and bits of red, so I went with that!

This is what I used on my card:
Altenew:  Pine Tree, Snowing
Decora stamp:  Christmas (Santa & reindeer)
Casual Friday's:  Sentiment
Ribbon Tag die
red copics, white embossing powder and Unicorn white pigment ink

Please check out all the fabulous cards from the rest of the team and I look forward to seeing your card in the gallery!

Heart Hugs, friends!



Thursday, January 19, 2017

Seize the Birthday ~ Dashes & Doodling

We have a topping this challenge over at Seize the Birthday
and it is Dashes & Doodling!
I dashed and doodled the butterflies paths to wish you a happy birthday!
this is what I used:
Pretty Pink Posh: Blissful butterflies
Altenew:  Label Love
Copics for coloring
I hope to see you in the gallery with lots of dashes and doodling on your card, if you choose not to do the topping, then you can make any kind of BIRTHDAY card!
Now go check out the rest of the team and be inspired to make a birthday card!
Heart Hugs, friends!



Monday, January 16, 2017

Darnell's NBUS Challenge #8 & JUGS #376



Hello Friends, hope you all had a great three day weekend.
We were in Eugene for a big volleyball tournament..about 250 teams from all over the Northwest.  Ellie's team won all their games until the final day...first match of the day and they lost, so they were done...the positive side of that is we were able to be home much earlier than planned!!  But it was the very first time the team has played this year, so lots to work on and becoming familiar with new players.
I saw Darnell's blog post about her Blog Birthaversary and wanted to play along.  Just Us Girls also has a Trend Week asking for All Over Stamping!
I pulled out my Prismacolor pencils and used a new stamp from Hero Arts that my BFF gave me for Christmas called cupcakes.
 
 I hope you will go check out these two challenges and play along!

Heart Hugs, friends!



Merry Monday # 231 Reindeer

Welcome Friends to another Merry Monday Challenge!
I thought it would be fun to see all the kinds of "reindeer" we have in our stash!
I love this soft serene scene...wow is that an alliteration or what?
This is what I used:
SSS Birch Tree Window
IO Deer Trio (used only one!)
MFT Stitched Rectangle Scallop Frame
Distress Inks for blending background
Please go to the Merry Monday Challenge and see what the team has made to inspire you to join us this week with a reindeer as your focal point!

Heart Hugs, friends!



Monday, January 9, 2017

Merry Monday with a Scandinavian feel # 230



PTI's Fair Isle Motifs just speaks Scandinavian to me!  My husbands family is from Norway and the cross stitch reindeer just reminds me of Norway and their wonderful tapestries and cross stitch works.
This week Marcia is asking for a Scandinavian feel to our card or have the word Noel on it.  I covered all of that with this card!
I hope you will join us this week at the Merry Monday Christmas Card Challenge and play along.  Check out all the inspiration from the team


Heart Hugs, friends!



Saturday, January 7, 2017

JUGS meets CAS(E) this Sketch and CAS Mix Up!!

Hi Friends!  It is so nice to be back playing in the studio, it has been forever!
DH and I headed back down to AZ on New Years Day, we had to check on the house painters and then turn the key over to our renters...a quick turn around for sure.  The first day it poured, like really hard...hard enough to have "washes" over the roads...definitely had to slow down to go through them!  We were thinking we could have stayed home for rain! *wink  But the last couple of days were very nice and the reason people love to go to AZ in the winter!  But enough, I am back and happy to be housebound because of SNOW right now, then 1 1/2 inches predicted of freezing rain!!  I know we will lose our power with that much ice on the lines!  But I get to play so I love this weather!!
 I am entering this is two challenges, the first is the CAS(E) this Sketch then the Word for this week's challenge over at Just Us Girls is "NEW".
I was playing this morning with NEW alcohol ink and NEW Yupo paper.  When I was done I needed to make a card, saw this sketch and thought it would be perfect to put the two together.  Also NEW is the flowers I die cut and colored with copics.  The flowers are Altenew Doodle Blooms.  My sentiment is from PTI Wet Paint I. Loll just suggested I add this to the CAS Mix Up Card challenge, so I will take this one there also, thanks Loll!
Thanks for stopping by and checking on me!! 
I think I might just sit by the window and watch the pretty snow come down.  I have been knitting Boot Cuffs and I started another pair last night, so I can knit while I enjoy the white stuff!  Hope you all are safe and dry and warm!!
Heart Hugs, friends!



Friday, January 6, 2017

CAS Watercolor Card Challenge ~ January

Seems like a very long time since I have just played with a challenge and what a surprise to see the CAS Watercolor Card Challenge for January to have a snowflake along with watercolors!!  I just can't get enough of Christmas I guess!
I followed Loll's card (I just loved it!) and used my brushos, then after it was dry, I embossed that little snowflake swirl with white ep.  The sentiment is a Lawn Fawn die cut.  My snowflakes are from PTI What the Doodle: Snowflake.
I hope you will hop over and check out the cards by the DT, they are such talented ladies over there and I am always inspired by them!








Heart Hugs, friends!



Thursday, January 5, 2017

Seize the Birthday~~

Welcome back friends to our FIRST SEIZE THE BIRTHDAY Challenge of the New Year!!
This challenge  has NO TOPPING!!  Make any kind of birthday card you want!
I decided to go with a wintery card, because I have several family and friends who have winter birthdays!
Isn't he cute with all his birthday gifts on his back and nose?
Penny Black:  Arctic Antics
PTI Winter Hills (sentiment)
Darice: Snowflake EF
copics for coloring
Heart Hugs, friends!